Submission is now open

The World Education Research Association (WERA) 2024 Focal Meeting will be held in-person from 8-12 September 2024 at the University of Manchester, United Kingdom (UK) in collaboration with the British Educational Research Association (BERA).

WERA FOCAL MEETING INVITATIONAL SYMPOSIA:

As has become customary, we are inviting WERA Association members, WERA Institutional members, WERA IRNs, WERA Task Forces, and other flagship WERA activity to organise an Invitational Symposium at the WERA 2024 Focal Meeting. We would again like to foreground the vibrancy of research, including and especially international research, within each country or region that constitutes WERA. We have seen how it adds to the importance of worldwide meetings to show the depth of education research and the important role of WERA in stimulating research and creating linkages around the globe.

SUBSTANCE OF THE WERA INVITATIONAL SYMPOSIA:

We ask each of you to take the lead in organising a research symposium of high quality and merit. A symposium provides opportunities, not afforded by a single paper, to examine a specific education research problem or topic through an international, comparative, or worldwide lens and to bring to bear diverse perspectives, intensive discussion, or a wide range of expertise.

FORMAT OF WERA INVITATIONAL SYMPOSIA:

The format must follow the same guidelines and provide the required fields for symposia as depicted in the WERA Call for submissions for the WERA 2024 Focal Meeting. Therefore, each Invitational Symposium must indicate:

• 750 word abstract of the symposium, and must include the title and a paragraph about each paper (minimum of 3 papers and maximum of 5 papers in the symposium) in the symposium.
• There is an additional 250 words for references.
• The symposium as a whole must have a clear focus and each paper therein must be clearly related to the overall focus/theme of the symposium but also offer distinct perspectives.
• If your abstract does not include a paragraph under the title of each paper, it will not be considered as an Invitational Symposia. Successful symposia will be allocated a 90 minute session.
• Invitational Symposium proposals are submitted by an organiser who may or may not be a chair, presenter, or discussant. A WERA symposium includes a chair and discussant and between three and five participants. Participants include all presenters and any discussants.
• The symposium can include presenters from other countries or regions – although this is not obligatory.
• Assuming many or most of these symposia may focus on research or research policy issues within your own country or region, we do however ask that one participant (a possible commentator / discussant) consider the implications from a more international, comparative, or worldwide perspective.
• We encourage drawing upon the research scholars with substantive expertise on the symposium topic you develop.
• Of course, you or another leader from your WERA entity may serve as a Chair even if outside of your own expertise.
• Please do not invite each other (e.g. across Associations, across Institutions or across IRNs) to participate in these symposia.

SUBMISSION OF WERA INVITATIONAL SYMPOSIA:

• Invitational Symposia will not go through the process of review that open submissions do in response to the WERA 2024 Focal Meeting Call. As the quality assurance is already screened by the relevant WERA entity submitting the session.
• WERA Invitational Symposia must be submitted between 15 February 2024 – 15 March 2024 through the submission platform for Invitational submissions: WERA 2024 Focal Meeting – Invitational Symposia.
• No Invitational Symposia submission will be accepted through email.
• No Invitational Symposia submission will be accepted after the deadline of 15 March 2024.

We are excited about this collaborative programming and featuring flagship WERA scholarship spaces. We look forward to receiving your final symposium by the deadline of 15 March 2024 through the submission platform.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you need any additional information.

Kind regards,
Rocío García-Carrión
WERA Secretary General